Philanthropist Jane Pettit dies

Listen to this article

Sept. 10, 2001 Philanthropist Jane Pettit, who donated millions of dollars in support of sports, arts, education and social services over the years, has died. She was 82. Francis Croak, her attorney, said Pettit died Sunday evening after fighting lung cancer for almost a year.

Worth Magazine, which in 1999 ranked her 27th among "the 100 most generous Americans," said the heir to the Allen-Bradley Co. fortune has been credited with well over $160 million in grants during her lifetime. A $20 million grant that’s significant to the Milwaukee area construction industry and to the Wisconsin economy kick started development of the Lynde and Harry Bradley School of Technology & Trade on Milwaukee’s south side, scheduled to open in fall of 2002. Kenneth Munson, director and chief executive officer of the school, said his thoughts are with Pettit’s friends and family.
"At the groundbreaking, I said that she was a shining light, and I think that we can certainly say that she continues to be that," Munson said. "This project is going to touch scores of kids. We can thank her and be happy that she could do this to help so many young people." Pettit’s late father, Harry Bradley, was one of the founders of the Allen-Bradley Co., which is now Rockwell Automation. The privately held company was sold to Rockwell International in 1985 for $1.6 billion. Pettit also owned the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League. Among her larger gifts were more than $90 million for the Bradley Center in the late 1980s and $13 million for the Calatrava addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum.